Ego’s: A Neighborhood Bar in a City that Could Use Some More

I grew up in New England. To say that we had a lot of neighborhood bars and taverns is an understatement. There was one on every corner. Some catered to the blue-collar shift workers; others to college kids while others were very ethnic in their persuasion. My father-in-law spent many a memorable evening at the Gaelic club. And when I first came down to Austin, I was struck by how few real neighborhood bars there were. Maybe it’s due to the fact that while the old neighborhoods were evolving, Austin was a dry town. All I know is that I found the lack of the neighborhood joints to be a detriment. Fast-forward to 2007: 35 years of selling liquor and we still have very few of these places. Which brings me to the topic of Ego’s.

Gail Johnson

Gail Johnson was not planning on going into the bar business after his stint in the Air Force back in the 1960’s. He was a graduate of UT with a degree in accounting.

But somehow, one of those serendipitous life-changing moments we always hear about came his way when he wandered into Ego’s, a little bar set in a parking garage (that’s right, you heard me) off South Congress just past Riverside.

Ego’s is not the kind of place one just happens to find. Trust me, I’ve occupied two offices across from it for almost thirteen years and while I’ve seen the sign, I’ve never gone in. That is, until the other night.

It’s kind of like going into one of those grotto clubs in Berlin, Germany. It’s dark yet its also inviting. There was a bunch of people sitting at the bar that I instantly recognized: not by face but by disposition. They were clearly regulars: the kind of folks I had spent my younger years sitting next to at neighborhood bars.

If this is starting to sound like a Billy Joel song, forgive me, but I couldn’t help but wax nostalgic. I sat down with owner Gail Johnson and we had a couple of brewskies together. He told me that Ego’s is open every night. And there’s music every night. Finger foods appear occasionally but it’s mostly a bar. And it’s been catering to the need for libations in this neighborhood for over 30 years!!!!

Johnson loves the bar business. He bought Ego’s because it seemed like a good idea at the time. Hell, Walking Suits were a good idea back in the 70’s. But this good idea has had one hell of a run. And Johnson’s steady hand has helmed a place where the average employee has had an amazingly long tenure. The barmaid working the night I went in had been there for almost ten years. Ditto for a doorman who was leaving for New York who had been there that long.

I spoke to a customer named Mike. A retired Air Force guy who lives in the apartments adjacent to Ego’s. Mike gave up drinking in 1991 but he still comes in every day and has three Sharp’s non alcoholic brews. He comes in because in his words, “It’s easy-going and lots of fun. No problems here. Just a nice place to pass the time.”

Mike’s sentiments were echoed by others I spoke to. “This place is a gem,” said a sturdy guy with brown hair named Bill. “There is just nothing like it in the city. You feel like everyone’s your friend.”

Ego’s is not easy to find. You take a right off S. Congress and follow the signs just past Riverside. Then you head into the parking garage. Ego’s is inside behind a door that you can easily miss. But if the concept of neighborhood intrigues you, grab a beer at Ego’s. There’s over 30 years of history on those bar stools. Now if that’s not iconic, I don’t know what is.